For anyone wanting to learn how to ace the first line of a paragraph in a politics article, I give you this, from Laurence Friedman.

https://samf.substack.com/p/ukraine-with-or-without-trump?r=3h518x&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

I regret to inform you that, once again, Elon has been down the K-hole

Given what we know about the family's propensity to use secret offshore accounts to funnel money with "mysterious" origins around, the idea they weren't profiting from Russian involvement in a government initiative is just not credible.

https://www.vanityfair.com/story/jared-kushner-hacked-phone-secret-negotiations

Does anyone seriously believe this happened without at least some of the Trump family's knowledge -- or in fact without any of the money going to them?

https://www.ft.com/content/e9cfbfbb-e65a-4303-aebb-20d59319ef1b?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Tesla's valuation was always insane and unsustainable. It was never going to dominate the car industry to the degree it needed to keep that valuation. What better way to keep that value is there than making it an "AI" company? Even if, fundamentally, it isn't one?

This column makes a point that I've been saying about Musk for a while: that the reason he wants to borg all his business into one megacorp is that it's easier to raise vast amounts through one big "AI" business, rather than rockets, cars, etc.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/newsletters/2026-10-21/obviously-spacex-and-tesla-will-merge

How angry? Well let's put it this way... the brave little warrior who paid billions of dollars to protect "free speech" on what was Twitter now thinks that people who say mean things about him should go to jail.

One of the useful things about having a (temporary) X account is that it's the best place to find out about Musk's meltdowns. Today, he is being very very angry at Kara Swisher, for this interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6wJ0ABvYfs&list=PLe3Hq64x5WOY&index=2

As I approach 60, I can share one of the most useful lessons my life has taught me.

When you treat yourself to a new pair of earbuds, the original pair has a funny way of turning up within a week.

He concedes that cutting investment in the 2010s opened a £2tn gap with our competitors. He then cites flat public sector productivity as evidence that the state cannot be trusted with more money. These are not two separate observations. They are cause and effect.

Andy Haldane is right that austerity was economic vandalism, and right that the gilt market of 2026 is not the gilt market of 2012. But his column contains a contradiction that undoes its own conclusion.

https://www.ft.com/content/dec723c9-54d5-407c-a275-f302344feeac?syn-25a6b1a6=1

So what do I think so far? Well, if you were a completely new user and not someone who used to have a five-figure Twitter number, you would probably find it confusing.

As some of you will know, I'm currently testing out the new user experience on X (I hate calling it that, by the way). It's several years since I was on it for more than a very brief moment, but this time I'm going to give it a month before running away screaming.

When considering Elon Musk's actions and attitude towards Ukraine, it's always worth remembering who has helped him get money.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/putins-henchmen-helped-musk-to-acquire-twitter-reports-381664/

Anyone got any idea how BBC Alba has the rights to show some Italian football live?

Is it just me that looks at the riots in France and thinks "oh, it's the traditional French end of summer riots"?

Hey, remember when the right were always saying it was the left that censored people, and how they were free speech warriors and not snowflakes? Good times, man, good times.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/musk-movie-tiktok-banned-theaters-showtimes-1236734308/

One thing to remember if you're trying to understand Trump's continual love of Putin.

Putin is an enemy of the west. He's an enemy of democracy. He's an enemy of the rights of ordinary people.

But he's not an enemy of the rich.

RE: https://mastodon.me.uk/@ChrisMayLA6/117448999980404245

The right:

- Tells working people it's all the fault of people on benefits.

- Tells people on benefits that it's all the fault of immigrants.

- Tells immigrants they don't belong here.

The one group that never get any blame? The rich.

RE: https://mastodon.social/@thelinuxEXP/117455293240692652

I love Nick's shows, and I reckon you probably will too.